A shorter cord has a few advantages: Less V drop, increases effective AWG Less area for rfi radiating and absorbing. If you don't want the spend big money consider this. Any source component is good with 16 AWG, but if buying 14 AWG is not much more. Amps 14 AWG, or 12 if you can find it. A 3' 14 is better than a 6' 12 AWG imo
For me any high quality copper, properly sized power cable is good enough. (properly sized is the key). I have been known to replace the ends though... sometimes the stock ones get worn, aren't a tight fit, etc... but on new cords probably not necessary.
No offense intended whats wrong with the cables that came with the components you want new ones for ?
Well, speaking for my post before yours - most of the time (99%?) the cable I'm referring to *is* the stock one... for instance, the power cable that came with my high quality amp, it's not much to look at (black) but it's 10ga of high quality power cable, can't see personally why anyone would want to replace it. In 20 years, I might replace an end or both if they're feeling sloppy. But that's a wear / consumables thing. But the more demanding components I have all came with a sufficient quality cord for my sensibilities, and the others with more generic cords don't need much else, most of the time there's no bottleneck and current flows as it should when the equipment demands it.
Star Start on Page one. And seek other long-and-winding threads on the same topic here. its educational and also entertaining. BTW, Many high end audio components dont even come with power cords. Its up to the new owner to choose whats appropriate. Some come with a sufficient cord, while most literally come with the cheapest one the manufacturer can include. The one my Marantz came with was worth maybe $2.50. I dont believe they expect you to use it. When you watch Ken Ishiwata doing demonstrations, hes not using the cord that was shipped the gear with, so ive noticed. Ive bought high end gear used and the power cords that came with the model were never used. I always thought that was funny but I never used them either.
Thanks for your reply but I was addressing the one who posted the question and I agree with what you are saying ...my take it on the whole after market power cable thing is why would any component manufacturer sell you a less than adequate cable to go with their components ? I myself do not trust after market cables no matter how pretty they are besides, who is going to see them there usually tucked away behind your rack out of site If they do not have a U/L label stamped somewhere on them a hard pass for me
Thanks I've heard all the arguments for after market cables and it comes down to the end user see my reply to Vinyladdict for where I stand on the subject
Putting aside any arguments about audio quality, manufacturers of high-end equipment do not include "audiophile" power cords because (AFAIK) none of them are UL listed or CSA approved. Therefore if included with the equipment, it would not be able to receive those electrical safety certifications. So their options are to either include a standard power cord that is safety certified, or omit it entirely.
Another considetation is if cable includes grounding wire or not. Unless all interconnects are balanced, only one device should have grounded power connection. In most cases it is preamplifier. But this generally goes against UL rules. Owner has to take a risk by removing ground from other components.
My Luxman Integrated 2 pin double insulated, 2 pin plug The DAC and phono amp the same but have 3 pins on the device but only 2 on the plug The G is left floating all the plugs have a polarity marking for orientation
Have one of these one the way for my integrated. Powercord — Finale Audio Specifications are: • CSA FT2• CSA C22.2 No. 49• UL Flexible Cord - UL 62• MSHA Approved• RoHS Compliant Uses Furutech connectors. Was priced at about half that on sale for a long time until just the last couple of weeks… Anywho, I’m looking forward to trying it out.
I'm looking at buying an isolation xfmr for my Luxman 509. So I just measured the current. Available xfmr sizes are 500, 750, 1000 VA. Measurements with music playing loud: RMS max/min/avg all 1,25 A On 250 uSec peak 4.9 A 1.25 A ~ 150 VA 4.9 A ~ 600 VA over sized is as bad as undersized in some ways. Worse THD performance, eff, noise attenuation You want to operate steady state at >20% x rating 100, 150, 200 Based on this the 500 or 750 VA may be preferred. The 1000 VA is out. Down to the 500 or 750 VA. My amp is rated max 350 W and you usually want 1,8 - 2 x that so 630 to 700 VA So it looks like the 750 VA I think lol
I use generic power cables for my actives. I used to have Russ Andrews and other boutique cords for my system. When I found that the sound quality really didn't change, then it was an easy choice to get rid of the Russ Andrews, etc, cables. Anybody suggesting you can't do three replacement mains cables for less than your $150 is kidding themselves.
For those who want a ready-made solution, the hospital grade IEC power cables available on Amazon.com are bargains and outperform “audiophile” cables costing many times more. I personally prefer the Jenving Supra LoRad 3x2.5 shielded power cables myself. I purchase the Supra LoRad cable in bulk and assemble the connectors myself. I purchase these through Jenving’s US disttibutor, SJOFN Audio (eBay seller zendada). I spend about half of what I would pay for the same assembled cables. There’s even a great YouTube video from the Jenving factory on constructing these power cables. I would only recommend DIY if you completely understand how to work with AC mains voltages. I have recommended these to audio friends and built some for them. They all really liked the results and black background using a high quality shielded power cable.
Yeah, the lights on my Bugatti are so much brighter and the bandwidth and soundstage on my Bugatti’s hooter is so much more expansive because of the top notch cabling used compared with my neighbours’s Toyota, which is so full of useless little wires.
Having made a sarcastic comment I feel I should follow up with a more reasoned one: I’ve never seen any data or measurements which show improvements in the quality of sound over correctly terminated and properly specced cable are possible, and my understanding of the way electricity works means to be honest I wouldn’t expect to. This makes me very happy because it means I have more money to spend on records, CDs and subscriptions to streaming services as well as the bits of my systems which I think do make a difference to the quality of what I’m hearing. So I admit that makes me an interested as opposed to a disinterested person in this debate. But I honestly don’t care one bit how much people spend on interconnects and power cables and cable lifters - it’s a personal choice in which I am totally disinterested. And some of the expensive cables look very fetching for sure. They just don’t have enough going for them to make it to the top of my ‘buy me” list. The mix of cables I do use carry electricity wonderfully well and sound absolutely stunning providing the deepest of carbon black backgrounds, an incredible depth of sound stage, detail retrieval, frequency response and zero distortion within the absolute limits of my hearing. I may have arrived, over time, and by chance, at some incredibly effective cable alchemy. I wouldn’t swap them for the world.
Reminds me. I need some new Power Cords in the Fall and I need to start listening to new Fuses. SR Purples in particular. right now Im building and breaking things - but I use Silver Solder, get an extra 1-2 mph that way, And the spiral-cut gears has this Most Fabulous Sound! ;-) Audio Season starts in October... and I got some plans.
Just got this bad boy from Amazon today for my REL sub. The thing is massive. What a hose. Very well made and packaged. 20% coupon too. Couldn't pass it up. Dwarfs my Pangea power cables. Really good knock-off Furutech carbon connectors.
